title: Molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains from pet animals and veterinary staff in China.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from pet animals and veterinary staff and the characteristics of these isolates. A total of 22 MRSA isolates were isolated from nasal swabs from dogs, cats and veterinary staff in six pet hospitals in six cities, and examined for antimicrobial susceptibility, the presence of resistance genes, Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene lukF-lukS, staphylococcal chromosomal cassette (SCC) mec typing, spa tying, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing. Of 22 MRSA isolates, 21 were recovered from pet animals, and one was isolated from a member of sstaff. All 22 MRSA strains were resistant to penicillin, oxacillin, azithromycin, clindamycin and ceftriaxone, and harboured mecA, ermB and linA genes. The lukF-lukS gene was not detected in any of the MRSA isolates. Eighteen MRSA strains from Qingdao belonged to ST59-MRSA-IV-spa t437. Of four MRSA isolates from Beijing, one belonged to ST398-MRSA-V-spa t034, and three belonged to ST239-MRSA-III-spa t030 profiles. Two PFGE types (A and B) were identified. Two isolates originating from dogs and one isolate originating from a staff member in Beijing shared similar PFGE patterns. Our cumulative data suggested that cross-transmission of MRSA may have occurred between pet animals and veterinary staff.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Development and Evaluation of the Chemical and Herbal Drugs for Animal Use, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Wanjiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Development and Evaluation of the Chemical and Herbal Drugs for Animal Use, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Zhihui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Development and Evaluation of the Chemical and Herbal Drugs for Animal Use, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Development and Evaluation of the Chemical and Herbal Drugs for Animal Use, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xingyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Logue
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Development and Evaluation of the Chemical and Herbal Drugs for Animal Use, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Development and Evaluation of the Chemical and Herbal Drugs for Animal Use, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Jianzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Development and Evaluation of the Chemical and Herbal Drugs for Animal Use, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address: wucm@cau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Congming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D017750:Animal Technicians; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats / Q000382:microbiology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs / Q000382:microbiology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D057805:Pets / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary; D018634:Veterinarians
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial